Blurbs provide best comedy of the year

IT’S AWARDS SEASON and the prize for most valuable contribution to the film business — of course — goes to the blurbmeisters. Every day, newspaper ads carry their quotes exhorting people to go see this film or that. Without them, would “Shrek 2″ or “Harry Potter” have lured anyone to the theaters?

Well, probably, yeah. But these blurbmeisters are the champions of films that need more help. With endless enthusiasm, year in and year out, they look for the good in a film and they always find it. In a cynical business, you have to admire their boundaryless gusto. Even if you’ve never heard of most of them or the outlet for which they work.

So here they are. The best blurbs of 2004. We salute you critics and give you deep thanks.